20 Comments

No half fat milk either!

Expand full comment

😂😂😂😂😂

Expand full comment

There can be no true “yes” without the existence of a clear “no.” 🙏

Expand full comment

This is a very inspirational poem. It reminds me of Bukowski's "Roll the Dice."

if you’re going to try, go all the

way.

otherwise, don’t even start.

....

if you’re going to try,

go all the way.

there is no other feeling like

that.

you will be alone with the gods

and the nights will flame with

fire.

do it, do it, do it.

do it.

all the way

all the way.

you will ride life straight to

perfect laughter, its

the only good fight

there is.

https://wordsfortheyear.com/2014/04/08/roll-the-dice/

Expand full comment

"But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." -Matthew 5:37

Expand full comment

Makes you think of all these phrases like: terribly nice, awfully good, not bad. It's hard to be confidently precise when your default language is full of such wobbly phrases. Some cultures are much more direct and unequivocal (the Danes, from my limited knowledge)

Expand full comment

“Half the way” gets me to a place that is entirely different than the one I had set out to reach. But perhaps this unknown place is altogether better!

Expand full comment

To thine own half or whole self be true

Expand full comment

When I was younger and stronger confrontation was not a problem, but age has softened me. Now I find when someone is "expressing" themselves it is sometimes just as damaging to walk away.

Expand full comment

I, TOO, HAVE SOFTENED WITH AGE (79).

NOW WHEN SOMEONE EXPRESSES HIMSELF IN A CONFRONTATIONAL WAY, I CAN WALK AWAY WITH A WORD OR TWO AND WITH GRACE.

Expand full comment

All the way is scary though

it’s not like thinking makes it so

Nobody will know

If I don’t get it

So what the hell

Expand full comment

Unequivocal.

Expand full comment

Hesitation is the worst of all crimes.

Expand full comment

Yes or No, never Maybe.

Expand full comment

'Maybe' keeps a door open to a third way that transcends the base 'yes' or 'no'. Clarity is great if you have it. Those who don't, but pretend they do "know it all" with their 'yes' and 'no', become tyrants.

Expand full comment

Well now wait a minute

Let me think about it

Maybe leaves the door open for possibility

Expand full comment

No half truths and no half lies. We've learned to lie quite completely.

Expand full comment

Haha, if this world was so black and white, we wouldn't have a color spectrum, let alone gray.

Expand full comment

This passage sounds Stoic. It could almost be Marcus Aurelius.

Expand full comment

An ideal,

who of us lives up to this?

I want to.

I deserve a kiss.

Expand full comment